Blog Posts tagged with "renovation"

Since Fall 2008, the US Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC Latvia) and the State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia (SFRS) have identified and submitted 10 civic engagement (Humanitarian Assistance) projects for renovations of fire stations all over Latvia. These are fire stations in the cities of Limbazi, Madona, Aizkraukle, Gulbene, Ķeipene, Liepāja, Līvāni, Strenči, Valka, and Ventspils. This year has been a true success for the cooperation between the ODC and SFRS -  two projects have been completed and contracts for the remaining 8 projects have been awarded and work has begun.

In July 2010, U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Judith Garber; Rear Adm.William "Andy" Brown, EUCOM J4 (Logistics); and deputy chief of SFRS, colonel Intars Zitāns, participated in a ground breaking ceremony in Limbaži. It marked the start of a nearly $130,000 project that involved a renovation of a fire station that was built in 1970. Previously, all six fire trucks of the fire station were deployed through one gate at the end of the building. During the renovation, the gate was sealed and 3 new gates were installed in the wider wall of the station. Additional works included general patch and paint of the facility and paving the road in front of the new gates.

"This project was very important for us," said Limbaži fire station commander maj. Gvido Kins.  “The main focus of SFRS in last decade was renewing the equipment we had inherited from USSR, and often the situation with the facilities was put aside. Now, when we have our garage replanned and renovated, Limbaži firefighters can respond to calls more quickly”.

The other project completed in 2011 was the renovation of Madona fire station. The main focus there was to build a garage for a new fire truck, which would not fit into the existing garage due to height limitations. The new garage was built in the yard of the existing fire station. Additionally the existing gates of the old garage were replaced. Total cost of the project was more than  $131,000.

These projects help SFRS provide the services more efficiently, especially in view of constant threats our world is facing. State fire and Rescue service highly value ODC Latvia and EUCOM input, which helped Limbaži firefighters reduce response times and Madona firefighters receive a new fire truck.

Staņislavs Ļisovenko
Department of European and International Cooperation
Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service
 

Dobar dan!

Earlier this week I had the honor of attending two great events in the northwestern region of Bosnia & Herzegovina. It was a winding mountainous five-hour drive through a beautiful countryside to the first ceremony a ribbon-cutting at the main primary school of Drvar with Mayor Anka Papak-Dodig, Principal Jelka Danic and 500 students with their accompanying parents.  Upon entering the school you could feel the joy and excitement of the children as they were performing their traditional dances and greeting our delegation. 

Children from the main primary school of Drvar in Bosnia and Herzegovina perform a traditional dance during the ribbon cutting ceremony at the renovated school Sept. 20.

Prior to the war in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Drvar was largely populated with Bosnian Serbs.  However, due to the ethnic divisions and tensions during the war, the majority of the Bosnian Serbs from Drvar sought refuge elsewhere.  One of the goals of the U.S. Embassy is to ensure that BiH has a vibrant, tolerant, multi-ethnic democracy supported by a robust civil society and the renovation of this school assists this goal, facilitating the return of Bosnian Serbs to their pre-war homes. 

 U.S. European Command provided $450,000, which allowed the Office of Defense Cooperation to renovate the Drvar school.  These renovations were done by the local contractor, Jelen, and included the exterior façade, roof, windows, painting the walls and replacing the floors.

The second event was the Bosanska Krupa water system ground-breaking ceremony attended by U.S. Ambassador Moon, Lt. Gen. Milojcic, Chief of Defense Armed Forces Bosnia & Herzegovina, Armin Halitovic, Mayor of Bonska Krupa, and Hamdija Lipovaca, Prime Minister of the UNA-SANA Canton. 

This water project will provide water connection to the suburbs and villages around Bosanska Krupa again supporting a vast number of Serb returnees.  This area is considered to be one of the most successful refugee returns in Federation Bosnia & Herzegovina. Upon completion of this project there will be two reservoirs, approximately 10 km of new pipeline and water pump stations, which will be connected to the existing water system in Bosanska Krupa.  This project will in the short-term provide water to about 3000 people who have returned to the area. Additionally, it will provide the preconditions to connect more villages to this system in the future, which will further encourage refugees to return to their pre-war homes.  

Children from the newly renovated main primary school in Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, practice their English during question and answer time with the American representatives from the U.S. European Command and Office of Defense Cooperation after the ribbon cutting ceremony for the $450,000 renovation project.

The funding for this project and the actual work will be accomplished through the combined efforts of the ODC, Armed Forces Bosnia & Herzegovina engineer units, Bosanska Krupa, and the UNA-SANA Canton; thus showing commitment and service by the AFBiH to the civilian population.  It will further strengthen Bosnia & Herzegovina’s position as useful contributors to EURO-ATLANTIC community. 

 In summary, these outreach projects are outstanding examples of Amerca’s commitment to improving security by improving living conditions.  The tireless research and vetting done by the ODC Team and Humanitarian Assistance program, reaching out touching young hearts and minds one school and community at a time.  As these younger generations grow up, they will be strong partners in a better more tolerant, multi-ethnic world.

  A heartfelt thank you to the ODC Team for letting me witness and be a part of these two great memorable events -- mission accomplished!

U.S. European Command recently invested $170,000 to upgrade a kindergarten in Erseke, Albania, but based on the turnout for the ribbon cutting Sept. 14, you would have thought the town won a million dollar lottery. 

The school, formerly used to house Kosovo refugees in the late 1990s, received only minimal maintenance funding since it was built in 1978.  With EUCOM funding, upgrades were made to the floors, walls, electrical and plumbing systems and an emergency egress stairway was installed.  What was once a building in a severe state of decay became the pride of this town of approximately 8,000 residents. 

U.S. Ambassador to Albania Alexander Arvizu dances with the children of a kindergarten in Erseke, Albania, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying the completion of a $170,000 renovation project.

The school is attended by 95 children between the ages of 3 and 6, but nearly every parent, teacher and member of the Erseke community could be found at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The townspeople’s respect and appreciation for the U.S. and DOD investment in their community was clearly evident. 

An investment of $170,000 in a U.S. school probably would not have covered the cost of renovating one room, but in Albania it resulted in a new foundation in education for an entire community. Director Shega, the school’s principal, and I discussed the need to sustain the building, but, more importantly, discussed the need to sustain the children through education, the children who are Albania’s future. 

EUCOM partners with Albania to help the government provide essential services and, in turn, build a partnership to support US/NATO regional security and global missions. The small investment in Erseke will pay dividends towards our partnership with Albania for generations.

We have all heard the adage “it takes a village to raise a child,” but I recently experienced this first hand when I had the privilege of participating in the Ochakiv School #2 ribbon cutting ceremony in the Ukraine on the first day of school Sept. 1.

This school renovation project was selected by the Ukrainian Embassy, funded through the U.S. European Command Civic Engagement Branch, and executed by Naval Facilities Engineering Command with a local construction company. 

Students celebrate the first day of school in the newly renovated Ochakiv School in the Ukraine.

I knew I was involved in something special when I arrived for the ceremony and more than 200 parents and family members were standing in the school court yard. All of those who were in the military were in their uniforms. I did not realize that in the Ukraine there is a hold-over tradition from the Soviet time period that school across the country will start Sept. 1 and it is expected that parents will come to the first day of school; especially those of the first graders.  This instills the importance of education into the first graders while reinforcing these ideas to the other students. 

Students celebrate the first day of school in the newly renovated Ochakiv School in the Ukraine Sept. 1. The $600K project replaced the roof, windows and siding with energy efficient material; completely renovated the school indoor gym and locker rooms; and renovated the two English language classrooms. This school renovation project was selected by the Ukrainian Embassy, funded through the U.S. European Command Civic Engagement Branch, and executed by Naval Facilities Engineering Command with a local construction company.

The first day of school is treated as a very big deal in the Ukraine. The focal point of the opening day ceremonies is the new first-grade students, but, in this case, we had the added attraction of a renovated school making this a truly memorable first day. The first graders parade into the school court yard dressed in their Sunday best wearing sashes identifying them as starting their first critical sets in the education process. They are all announced by name and take turns delivering short “speeches” about the importance of education. Then the other students perform a regional dance for the new students culminating with each member of the senior class welcoming all the new first graders to school and presenting them with “gifts” to help make their first day memorable. Finally the oldest student in the school leads the “first bell” procession, where the eight youngest first graders accompany him in the ringing of the “first bell” of the school year to announce the school is now open for the year. Then the senior class members form an archway for the first graders to walk through and enter school for the first time.

So on this very special day, the students, new and old, entered a facility that had undergone a major facelift. The $600K project replaced the roof, windows and siding with energy efficient material; completely renovated the school indoor gym and locker rooms; and renovated the two English language classrooms.

What makes this renovation project unique is the partnership between the local community, local government, regional government, and local military unit coming together to make it a combined effort, thus maximizing the impact of everyone's effort. As is evident by the first grade class being more than 40 children (while the average in the city is only 18) because everyone wanted to be at what was now viewed as the “best” school in the city. 

The city government and local military unit (mostly special forces) removed the old roofing material and took away construction waste. The military unit also donated a new computer for the school’s computer lab. The city government worked tirelessly with the regional government to fund and execute paving of the road to the school, playground area, and new sidewalks; additionally, the city government funded renovation of the principal's office and replaced a large number of text books in the school. The regional government funded the $100K for the paving and sidewalks. Additionally, the regional school administration worked daily with the school and contractors during the project to ensure the highest quality. As an added bonus for the first graders the regional governor provided each of them with a signed letter and all the school supplies they needed for the first grade.

Local government and military officials attended the ceremony along with more family members than I have ever seen at a first day of school. Aside from being selected to walk one of the first graders to her first class, my most memorable moment came from a conversation with the deputy regional governor. His statement that the regional governor sees school renovation projects like this one as a model which they will continue. He said they have already selected several other schools and are in the process of working joint projects where the local and regional governments pay the bulk of the costs while incorporating the parents and local residents in the work. 

It was great to see that our efforts are setting the conditions for the educational development of future generations.

COL Leon Parrott
Deputy EUCOM Engineer

Our Office of Defense Cooperation team left rainy and gloomy Sofia for a trip that had us traveling 2000 km in 5 days.  We were scheduled to travel throughout northern Bulgaria to inspect 15 potential Humanitarian Assistance projects. We were a little worried because we will also had a ribbon cutting to one of our larger HA projects: a kindergarten renovation in the town of Montana.

All worries disappeared, though, when we reached our destination a couple of hours later and I saw the children dressed in white, red, and green (the colors of the national flag) traditional folk outfits.  The environment was spectacular -- children holding balloons, the happy faces of their parents, the smiles of the teacher.

This June day turned sunny in Montana as the townspeople celebrated its annual city holiday.  The city center was abuzz with bustling crowds enjoying traditional singing, dancing and games with a carnival-like atmosphere.  It was impressive to see the amount of people flooding Montana’s expansive, tree-lined pedestrian zone.  Montana’s Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov said that 9 other foreign delegations had also come to partake in the festivities.

We were warmly greeted by a very large turnout of young children ages 3 to 6 along with their proud parents and teachers and supportive local citizens and municipal government officials. Many of the children, and even some adults, were dressed in vibrant traditional Bulgarian attire.  Several age groups performed time-honored Bulgarian dances and songs, and one group even recited a rhyme in English.  Those of us presiding over the ceremony were overcome by the children’s wholesome energy and joyousness.

Mayor Zhivkov gave a speech as part of the festivities and mentioned was no better time for the US Government to present this gift to the children of Montana and actively contribute to the excitement of the day.

The ribbon cutting was for the kindergarten “Zdravets”.  The word “zdravets” (здравец) in Bulgarian means geranium and is derived from the root word “zdrave” (здраве) for health.  The kindergarten’s name suggests prosperity, longevity and well-being.

CDR Imblum, the ODC Sofia Chief, and Mayor Zhivkov cut the ribbon and then performed a good luck ritual with a vessel decorated with crane’s bill.

There were more symbolic (and fun) Bulgarian customs after the ceremony, too.  First, representing Bulgaria’s rich tradition of hospitality, we were welcomed as special guests with bites from a freshly baked loaf of bread that we each dipped in salt.  Then a young girl handed Mayor Zhivkov a small copper pot filled with zdravets plants and water.  The Mayor kindly handed the plants to the girl, and then he and I took the pot together and poured it away from the school door entrance leading to the outer gate.  This is a common tradition that Bulgarian parents do for their children when they leave home for an important event, such as an exam or the first day of school.  As you walk over the flowing water, you will be blessed with smooth sailing and good fortune. The children performed songs, poems, and dances, then white, red and green balloons flew up in the sky followed by three white pigeons, symbols of the peace, purity and hope for us and our children.

The US Embassy team and other guests visited the renovations which will provide safer and more joyful environment to 120 children and 30 staff. A Bulgarian firm did an excellent job installing new windows, framing and paneling throughout the kindergarten; and the colorfully painted facades tellingly reflect the bright future of these very talented children.

Witten by: CDR Imblum, Sofia ODC Chief, and Ms. Vesela Terzieva, Sofia HA Program Manager

On June 1, I had the honor and privilege to represent EUCOM during ribbon-cutting ceremonies in Puka and Voru Estonia. Here I witnessed both a glorious demonstration of the communities’ civic pride and an equally magnanimous gratitude for EUCOM’s partnership in completing these two worthy projects. A kinship with a people never met before developed easily over purposeful work done well and meaningfully.

Puka School Children performing native Estonian song and dance.

The first project was an approximately $317,000 renovation of the Puka School’s roof in Puka, Estonia. The school, built in the 1930s, has continually served as the consolidated school (grades 1-12) for Puka, teaching approximately 120 students every year. The original roof had seen its better days long ago and despite frequent repairs, the challenge to keep out rain was constant. Clearly, this renovation is a vast improvement and will undoubtedly protect Puka’s treasured school long past the time when the grandchildren of current students send their children to learn.

After a delightful and memorable performance of Estonian national song and dance by the school’s children, we had the ribbon cutting and plaque dedication by school and civic leaders, and  U.S. Embassy and EUCOM personnel.

The second project was a $259,000 exterior renovation of the South Estonia Hospital’s Special Needs Center in Voru. This project was the second and final renovation phase (previously the center had had an interior renovation done with European Union funding) to a facility that provides essential services to mentally disabled adults requiring assisted living.

South-Estonia Hospital Special Needs Center’s newly renovated exterior.

The dedication included a traditional dance by the center’s residents, a ceremony with local officials, and then breaking bread together in celebration. I left the center with a strong belief that EUCOM assistance had been put to important and necessary use and, moreover, that our assistance was highly valued and appreciated.

Looking at these pictures, I realize what a privilege it was to witness and take part in something that meant so much not only to Estonian civic leaders but more importantly to the students and residents whose lives will be directly and positively impacted by such quality of life improvement projects. No doubt, these renovations will help ensure that Puka and Voru children and adults will continue to receive services in secure and attractive buildings long into the future. I will remember this special June day and the warmth shared by many.

Mike C. Hartzell
Lt Col, USAF, BSC
International Health Specialist
EUCOM Command Surgeon's Office

I feel like I am dreaming and could wake up any moment...

Comparing to the old dormitory this renovated one is like a castle from a fairy tale!

When I first came to this dorm and laid my eyes on the old building, I panicked – old walls, cracked windows, doors that wouldn't close, and the interior... it's better not to mention it! My first reaction was to run away, but there was something about it, something that wouldn't let me go.

At that moment I wasn't aware what it was, but now after having spent 4 years in the dorm, I realize that it was the good spirit of the dorm. I will always treasure its spirit and the people I lived with, both my fellow students, and the great dorm staff who helped us through those challenging adolescent years.

The dormitory kitchen staff.

You cannot imagine our joy now, in this new renovated dorm, in this paradise.

We can forget things that seem funny now – queueing to take a shower, freaking out when we would see bugs on our beds, chasing bats away, and I shouldn't even mention toilets!

We will continue to be good kids, and good students, and promise that we will get better and better each year, in the spirit of our motto – Life is an art of finding beauty and joy in everything.

The exterior of the renovated dormitory.

I said it so many times during the ceremony, but want to say it once again…Thank you for all the good you have done for the current, and all subsequent generations who will live and enjoy this dorm, thank you so much ... When I lived here it was both a paradise, and a calvary for me, but, I think, life here made me what I am now…..a young, but mature person ready for life ahead of me.

When I returned to my apartment after the opening ceremony, I cried like a child. Director Hincak is like a father to me, and every happy tear he shared with all of us feels as if I shared them with each and every one present there that day. You have returned that man a smile on his face, and not only to his, but also to all dorm students, both present and former… God has answered our prayers, and because of that: thank you :)

P.S.-sorry for my grammar mistakes :)

Marina Barić – Pinky
Vukovar Dorm Manager/Principal

What makes a Humanitarian Assistance (HA) project a success? There are many factors that impact the process; it is no longer just a triangular relationship between the project scope, available funding and allocated time.

You probably have heard it: “They [clients or the recipients of assistance] have to want the project more than you do!” You cannot impose your help on someone for their own good. Well, of course you can, but it will likely be a miserable experience both for you and for the one you are helping not to mention a waste of time and money.

During the past two years we have seen a positive change in the attitude in Latvia towards our Humanitarian Assistance projects. We have found that people tend to invest time, energy and resources to things they create and support; therefore we have learned to share the responsibility, as well as success of this program with our Latvian partners.

One example for this shift in the mindset is the renovation project at Liepaja Children and Youth Center. The Center was re-opened on Dec. 10, 2010 after extensive common access area renovation work.

To put it briefly – the center keeps local teenagers and children away from the dangers of the street by offering quality after-school activities, such as work in hobby groups and workshops to develop their skills and talents. Each day about 300 children (of whom 48% are ethnic Russians) participate in activities at the Center. Approximately 20% of the students come from socially disadvantaged families and 40% from poor families. The building used to be a Soviet Army barracks and is located in a region of the city traditionally called War Port.

Nominated by the local education department, this project stood out from the first day we met with the director of the Center and her staff. We saw dedication, determination and enthusiasm from the municipality education department, the center’s staff and even the children who attend the classes to make this renovation happen. What a difference this made! It resulted not only in a successful project with long-term impact, but also a pleasant experience for our office. We were delighted to work with a team that had set a goal and was determined to go beyond what is usually required.

Yes, they wanted it more than we did! As a result, we saved our time, our resources and avoided a great deal of frustration. More importantly - we partnered with the Latvian Government in its effort to provide a safe environment for children, rather than trying to tell the host nation how it should be done.

During her speech, the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, Judith Garber, said, “Renovation projects like these are yet another example of the very strong U.S.- Latvian relationship. The close friendship between our two countries extends from membership in NATO and partnership in military operations abroad, to our commitment to vital community projects. I am proud that such a robust partnership contributes to the safety, security and welfare of people here in Latvia and in the wider region.”

Gunita Migliniece
HA Program Manager
Office of Defense Cooperation - Latvia

EUCOM recently renovated a three story school in the northern mountain village of Kalivac, Albania. The school director, Ms.Ditra Gjoni, was so overwhelmed with joy to cut the ribbon on the $590K renovation, a woman fluent in English and Albanian was left speechless. She attended the school as a girl and has been teaching there for the past 17 years. To see the newly painted exterior, 33 refurbished classrooms, new water well and sewage system left her feeling the words, “Thank you”, were just inadequate but she could find no others.

For the past few years, the American Embassy in Tirana Office of Defense Cooperation has focused on Humanitarian Assistance projects in some of the more remote villages. These projects build partner capacity by helping Albania provide essential services. Kalivac is located in a northern prefecture where 30% of the schools have no access to clean water, indoor plumbing and have broken doors and windows without any means to repair them. The Kalivac School serves a population of 12,000 from three different districts. Previously the school served 250 children, but now many more children are expected to attend this local school because of the vastly improved learning environment. The repairs are valued at over $500,000 and were completed in just over a year by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

I joined Major Kevin Bosch and Mr. Artian Dautaj from the Office of Defense Cooperation as well as Mr. Paul Poletes, the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy in Albania for the Kalivac School ribbon cutting. What Ms Gjoni struggled to express was evident everywhere on the faces of the children and parents as they combed through their new school for the first time and realized they had new windows, doors and working bathrooms for the first time in many years.

In the future we expect to do more regional projects for Albania and the Balkans by investing in Disaster Preparedness and Telemedicine, but I’m sure the occasional school renovations will remain on our schedule. There really is no better grass roots opportunity for us to reach out and impact the next generation.

For me, it is always an honor to represent EUCOM at events designed to further U.S. priorities such as helping our partner provide sustainable education. However, when you consider Albania’s contribution to ISAF, recent end to conscription and many other great strides in becoming a valued NATO partner, this school renovation becomes our expression of “thank you”.

Lt. Col. Amy McCall
Civic Engagement Branch
ECJ4, Logistics Directorate

For much of our Army careers, defining security involved calculating the size of the military force that could be moved to and sustained in a particular area of the world on short notice; the larger the force equating to proportionally more security. However, attendance at two elementary school rededications in Vares and Fojnica, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), lead us to believe that perhaps this definition is far too simple.

LTG Miladin Milojcic, Chief of Defense of the Armed Forces of BiH, thanks those involved in the interior renovation of the Vares Elementary School.

Vares and Fojnica villages are each about an hour Northwest of Sarajevo, BiH. Scars of the conflicts of the 1990’s are still clearly hammered into the facades of many buildings lining the roads to these schools and in the neglected factories around the towns. Remaining unrepaired as perhaps are many native memories and souls are today still. In stark contrast, the Vares and Fojnica elementary schools now stand recently renovated. The renovations the result of the combined efforts of the BiH military, the US Embassy and its Defense and Office of Defense Cooperation team, US European Command, and the elected, municipal, school and religious authorities in Vares and Fojnica. These two elementary schools stand now not only as symbols of cooperation, but as powerful symbols of hope, understanding and compassion for these communities.

These projects highlight the power of a simple Humanitarian Assistance project. There are few occasions where you bring together the instruments of national power (Diplomatic, Information, Military, Economic – DIME) in such a positive way for two countries but these school projects did just that. They were incredible opportunities for both the Unites States and BiH to engage each other through their full range of instruments of national power while “planting a seed” with the youth of BiH for future partnership.

Children, parents and teachers of the Vares elementary school anticipate the cutting of the rededication ribbon.

After being involved in these school openings, it makes us think about how many other non-military focused initiatives are being done on regular bases to improve security and cooperation within the EUCOM AOR. It really is naïve to imply that security can only be achieved with the presence of military power. The joyful and hopeful expressions on the faces of the children, parents, and teachers of Vares and Fojnica elementary schools leads one to consider that security’s definition may also include a measure of hope, understanding and compassion.

MAJ Lee Sepulvado, Humanitarian Project Manager and
LTC Leon Parrott, Deputy, Engineering Division
Logistics Directorate, US European Command

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Amy McCall greets children at the school opening in Kucova, Albania.

We traveled to Albania Sept. 14, 2009 to witness the grand opening of the newly renovated Kucove (Ku-cho-va) Elementary School. Along with the U.S. European Command’s Office of Defense Cooperation and U.S. Charge d’Affairs, we made our way to Kucove and after a 2 ½ hour drive arrived to the sight of 200 young students waving U.S. and Albanian flags in the yard of their newly renovated school. As we toured the grounds and met our Albanian hosts we immediately became aware of the deep admiration Albanians feel for the United States. More than admiration- to use their words- “love” for the United States and all Americans.

What we learned during our 2-day visit is that Albania feels indebted to the U.S. To a person, they cite President Wilson’s support for Albania’s independence in 1919 at the conclusion of World War I. His staunch determination in the face of attempts by other countries to divide and annex this seaside and mountainous land and its people has not been forgotten. Albanian’s remain eternally grateful to the U.S. for this momentous decision and its continued support.

We were honored to represent our country and the U.S. European Command at this event. After the speeches and ribbon cutting by the school director, the Mayor of Kucove, and the US Charge d’ Affairs, the children entered the beautiful school with a new roof, playground, plumbing, heating, and fire escapes (one of only three schools in Albania with such safety provisions). The project was nominated by the Office of Defense Cooperation and U.S. Embassy in Tirana, approved and funded by the U.S. European Command, and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers using local Albanian contractors and locally purchased materials.

After gaining an appreciation for the strong ties that bind Americans and Albanians, we believe that this school is a wise investment in the future of our relationship and will serve the educational needs of Kucove’s children for years to come. Generations of families attended the school opening including many who were previous graduates from the elementary school and who now have children attending the school. Both the School Director and the Mayor who were in attendance at the ceremony are graduates of the school.

The real measure of success for the U.S. European Command is our ability to reinforce President Wilson’s message from many years ago and to make Albania’s youngest generation aware of this commitment. US support for Albania’s accession to NATO and projects such as the renovation of this school in Kucove communicate this message. We believe in the strength of Albania as a nation state, a NATO ally and value their partnership as we work to become stronger together.

Mr. Chuck Brady and Lt. Col. Amy McCall
EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance Program